This disclosure directs itself to a V-sling for use in winching vehicles. More in particular, the disclosure is directed to a V-sling having a master linking device having a load coupling linkage and a hook positioning adapter. Still further, the disclosure is directed to a master linking device with a load coupling linkage defining a first plane and a hook positioning adapter disposed in a second plane, where the second plane is transverse to the first plane, to thereby position a hook engaged with the hook positioning adapter in a plane corresponding to the first plane. Further, the V-sling includes at least two flaccid leg members coupled on one end thereof to the load coupling linkage and extending therefrom. The flaccid leg members may be formed by chains, webbing or rope formed of wire or synthetic materials with opposing ends thereof being coupled to one or more hooks for coupling to a vehicle.
V-slings have long been used by tow operators when winching a vehicle, such as for vehicle towing, as when a vehicle must be extricated from a ditch, or for pulling a vehicle 50 onto the bed 72 of a flatbed tilt-tray type tow truck 70, also known as a rollback, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. The V-sling allow the tow operator to easily hook up a winch line 60 to vehicles and pull from the center of the vehicle so that it is pulled evenly and straight as the winch line is wound on the spool of the winch 74. Prior art V-slings are made with longitudinally extending leg members form of chain, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, or synthetic webbing as shown in FIG. 4. V-sling 10, shown in FIG. 2A, is formed by a pear shaped master link 12 to which a pair of chain legs 14 are coupled by corresponding master coupling links 15. The opposing end of each chain 14 is coupled to at least one hook 16, such as a J hook, mini J hook, T hook or R hook, or the like, by a coupling link 28. Often, each chain leg 14 of V-sling 10 will have at least one additional hook 16a of a different variety to permit more versatility in coupling the V-sling 10 to vehicles of various manufacturers and models. The multiple hooks 16 and 16a may be coupled to each chain 14 by a single coupling link 28 or a coupling link 28 or each hook. The V-sling 10 may also include hooks 18 coupled to the master coupling links 15, which are provided so that the user can shorten the length of the chain legs 14 when necessary for a particular application.
A variation of the V-sling 10 is shown in FIG. 2B. Here, the master link 12′ is formed by an oval shaped link rather than a pear shaped link. In all other respects, the V-sling 10′ is identical to the V-sling 10. A further variation of the prior art V-slings is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the V-sling 10″ is formed by a pear shaped master link 12 to which a pair of legs formed by web bodies 20 are coupled by corresponding master coupling eyes 22. The web bodies 20 are typically formed from synthetic material, such as polyamides and polyesters, in the form of single-ply or multi-ply webbing. The opposing end of each leg 20 is coupled to at least one hook 16, which may be a J hook, mini J hook, T hook, R hook, or the like, by a terminal coupling 26 extending through a hook coupling eye 24 of leg 20 and to which a coupling link 28 is connected. As in the V-slings 10 and 10′, V-sling 10″ may have at least one additional hook 16a of a different variety. The V-sling 10″ has an advantage over V-slings 10 and 10′ in that the web bodies 20 help protect delicate components of the vehicle being winched, such as bumpers, spoilers, oil pans and the like.
For more than thirty years there has been no issue with the use of these prior art V-slings. In recent years, as vehicles have been and continue to be made with lighter materials and with lower ground clearance, damage during winching and towing operations has increased. Vehicle manufactures have also lowered engine components and accessories, such as radiators, relative to the vehicle's frame in order to reduce the height of the vehicle's hood and thereby increase the vehicle's aerodynamics. These changes in the vehicles' design and manufacture have created a situation where the hook of the winch line comes in contact with the delicate vehicle components.
Referring to FIG. 3A, there is shown a vehicle 50 being winched using the V-sling 10. The chain legs 14 are shortened using the hooks 18 to position the hook 62 connected to the winch line 60 away from the vehicle bumper. Although the winch line hook 62 is coupled to the winch line 60 through a pivotal coupling 64, the orientation is controlled by the master link 12 of V-sling 12. The winch line hook 62 is orient in a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the plane of master link 12, which is held in a substantially horizontal plane by the two chain legs 14 extending to the vehicle's side frame members 54. With the winch hook 62 so oriented; it extends into the undercarriage of the vehicle and contacts the radiator. In FIG. 3B, V-sling 10 is hooked to the vehicle 50 with the chain legs 14 extended their full length. The winch hook 62 is coupled to the winch line 60 with an eye 66 integrally formed in the hook in one-piece formation. The same deleterious conditions occur when the V-sling 10′ is used in place of the V-sling 10. Although the winch line 60 is capable of twisting to allow the hook 62 to be oriented at any angle, here again, the orientation of the master link 12 controls the orientation of the winch hook 62. In this situation, the orientation of the winch hook 62 places it in contact with the bumper 52 of the vehicle 50.
Turning now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, there are shown similar situations where the V-sling 10″ is used. As shown in FIG. 5A, the web bodies 20 are secured to the side frame members 54 of the vehicle 50 and the winch hook 62 is engaged with the master link 12 thereof. The winch hook 62 is coupled to the winch line 60 through a pivotal coupling 64. Here again, the orientation of the winch hook 62 is controlled by the orientation of the master link 12. As such, the height of the winch hook 62 places it into the undercarriage of vehicle 50 where it is able to come into contact with the vehicle's oil pan or other easily damaged components. The only variation the can be made with respect to the angle of winch hook 62 is whether the open (or openable) side of the hook faces upward or downward. In FIG. 5B, the winch hook 62 has its open side facing downward, opposite to that illustrated in FIG. 5A. Here to, the height of the winch hook 62 places it into the undercarriage of vehicle 50 where it is able to come into contact with the vehicle's oil pan. Just as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the direction in which of the open side of winch hook 62 faces in the situations illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B will have ameliorating effect.
There is therefore a need in the art for orienting the winch hook in a plane that corresponds to the plane of the V-sling's master link. The V-sling structures disclosed herein fulfill that need; providing a solution to the problems associated with the use of prior art V-sling structures with vehicles designed to achieve improved fuel efficiency through the use of low weight materials and improved aerodynamics.